


pretty face

by malumqt (snowboy)



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, I promise, IDK HOW TO TAG THIS WITHOUT GIVING LOWKEY SPOILERS FOR FUTURE CHAPTERS, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, but there's a reason, calum could probably be considered a fuckboy????, he has a lot of flings, luke and ashton aren't helpful, michael is a stubborn lil shit who claims he hates calum but is secretly pinning over him, there's totally gonna be fluff, they just in the sidelines being unhelpful and lashtoning, um um um um, umm i think that's all i got rn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-04
Updated: 2016-05-12
Packaged: 2018-04-12 21:53:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4496100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowboy/pseuds/malumqt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"you have a pretty face, but you're bad news."</p><p> </p><p>or the one where calum is a heartbreaker, michael pines but doesn't want too, and luke and ashton are stuck in their own lashton world</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. prologue

**Author's Note:**

> yo this is just the prologue fyi

Michael knew something was wrong when Calum started noticing him. That meant that Michael was Calum's next target. Someone he'll be with for a week before dumping them and moving on. 

Sure everyone jumped at a chance to be with Calum, the boy was undeniably attractive. With tanned skin, squishy cheeks, muscles, and brown eyes, Calum pulled off cute and hot very well. But Michael was stubbornly staying against being the boy 's new interest. He wasn't going to be charmed, he wasn't going to be his fling for a week, and he wasn't gonna get heartbroken by Calum. 

"Maybe he just wants to be friends? The boy certainly doesn't have many actual friends," Luke, his best friend, said as the two ate their lunch in the school cafeteria after Michael had explained everthing to him. 

For a second Michael was thinking that maybe Luke was right...The boy certainly never seemed to be with anyone at all for more than a week. He almost changed his mind about the whole thing bug then he noticed Calum starring at their table from the popular one. Calum just winked and Michael was back to admently trying to hate him.

"Nope, nope, he wants to get with me. Luke! He winked at me. People who just wanna be friends do not wink at each other." Michael protested. Frowning as Luke didn't seem to react at all.

"Ashton and I wink at each other all the time." Luke pointed out, but Michael hardly thought that it was a good comparison to his Calum situation. 

Luke and Ashton had one sided eye sex all the time, at least they thought it was one sided. Michael was the one caught in the middle of it and some days he really wanted to smush their faces together so that they kiss and make out with each other.

"You both wanna get with each other, it doesn't count." He mumbled, picking at his sandwhich.

The blond boy opened his mouth to object before slouching back down and eating his lunch.

-

It was the end of the school day and Michael thought he was going to go home free. He had successfully avoided Calum and all his attempts so far, but of course his luck had to run out. 

"Go away, Hood." Michael grumbled as he slamed his locker closed to be met with the pretty face of Calum Hood. Michael tightened the straps of his backpack before walking away from the boy. 

"C'mon, don't be like that!" Calum whined and followed behind Michael. The pout in the boy's voice could easily be heard and Michael could bet that Calum was doing his adorable puppy face.

"Nope, I'm going home. You have a pretty face, but you're bad news."


	2. part 1

Michael thought that maybe, hopefully, after the rejection Calum would give up on him and try for someone else. Although the second he got to the first class he shared with the boy, maths, he knew it wasn't over.

The only available seat was next to him and the boy knew that as he smiled sweetly at Michael.

Slouching down in the seat Michael tried to ignore the boy next to him as the class started. Only ignoring was failing as he started to admire Calum's profile. There was a wicked jawline and his cheeks still looked so squishy. Michael almost wanted to poke them....

"Michael!" The teacher yelled and immediately drew Michael away from those thoughts. He looked up at the teacher who was looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "The answer?"

"Yes, the answer is..." Michael trailed off, looking at the board and mentally sighing when it was on calculus.

"8." Calum whispered to him and Michael pursed his lips, not knowing if he could trust the boy on this. But then he also had no better answer.

"8?"

The teacher looked impressed and nodded, before going back to talking about how to solve the problem.

Michael sighed in relief and sent Calum a friendly smile and mouthed a thank you, but the boy simply shrugged.

-

Once the bell rung, Michael got up and grabbed his backpack. He was actually excited for his next class since it was music. Although the boy caught up with him as he leaving the classroom and walked next to Michael with a smile.

Michael stared at Calum, he wasn't going to get rid of him as easily as he thought. The boy didn't seem to accept rejection.

All of a sudden Michael was being pulling to the side and into chest. For a second he leaned into it, Calum chest being warm and comfy. But the he pulled away and crossed his arms over his chest and squinted his eyes at the boy.

"What was that for?" Michael asked and stopped walking in the middle of the hallway.

Calum shrugged. "You were going to walk into a locker." He motioned behind them where a kid had their locker open right where Michael had been walking.

"Oh, well, thank you. And thank you for back there in the class."

"If you really wanna thank me, you should go on a date with me."

"Haha, no. I don't want to date you." Michael said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm never gonna date you."

"That's what you think." Calum winked getting Michael to huff and walk away to avoid the boy.

He walked along to his music class with a slight pout. Calum was cute and the boy knew it. The way he acted and how everyone went on about him there was no way he didn't know he was cute.

What made everything worse was that Michael did think Calum was cute and under different circumstances, he could see himself going out on a date with the boy but self preservation was kicking in and he didn't want to be hurt when his week with Calum was over.

Michael pushed the door to his class open and took the open spot next to Luke. They were both guitarists so they got to sit next to each other. Even if Luke was more distracted with Ashton in the back behind his drums.

"He's wearing his glasses. He looks so adorable and I want to hug him." Luke looked between Michael and Ashton, though his attention lasted a couple seconds longer on Ashton each time.

Michael nodded knowing that in times like these it was better to let Luke go on about how cute Ashton is. He just wished that one day Ashton would walk over while Luke is talking about him.

The teacher came in and everyone's attention turned to him but Michael's went to the pretty face of the one and only Hood standing next to them.

"Okay, so Calum is joining our class for his free period. Go sit next to Michael." Michael ran a hand through his hair as sat down next to him and turned towards Luke who was still distracted by Ashton.

"So, are you sure you don't want to go on one little date with me?" Calum asked, giving Michael his puppy dog eyes as the boy tried to ignore him.

Luke finally took notice to what was happening and waved at Calum, "Hi! I'm Luke."

"Nice to meet you, I'm -"

"Calum, I know. Mikey talks a lot about you." Luke spoke conversationally. Michael was trying to decide if he wanted to kick or Luke.

But then the class started and Michael decidedly ignored them both.

Calum was continuing to be ridiculously cute and hot at the same time. Who knew the boy could play bass?

Michael hated that even though he knew the boy was a player and only had quick flings, he stilled liked him.

-

At the end of class was lunch time and Michael almost just expected Calum to follow them to lunch, which he did and still tried to get a date with Michael, before splitting off and going to hang out with the populars, which he didn't.

The raven haired boy continued following them like some kind of puppy and sat down next to Michael when the three reached Michael's and Luke's normal table. Michael had still been ignoring both Calum and Luke, holding his slight grudge.

Before Michael knew it a girl came up to their table, who Michael knew as one of the populars, and started talking to Calum.

"Hey, are you coming to the party tonight?" She batted her eyelashes at Calum, which had Michael rolling his eyes at. Everyone was so whipped for the boy. He could probably get anything that he wanted and that bothered Michael.

Calum shrugged at the girl's question,"I dunno. I might."

"You should!" The girl giggled and pressed a quick kiss to Calum'd cheek before waving bye.

Calum waved back before returning to his conversation with Luke about Green Day vs Blink 182. Which Michael had to admit, the boy didn't have bad music taste, but he was still going to try and hate the boy either way.

-

"I don't see why you hate Calum." Luke commented as he tried to score a goal in FIFA against Michael. "He seems like a cool guy." His comment had Michael pausing the game and turning to face the blond boy.

"Let's see, he's a massive dick, thinks he owns the school because he has a pretty face, and oh, he wants to get with me just to dump me when he gets bored. I'm not playing that game, he needs to find someone else." Michael grumbled before unpausing the game and easily deflected Luke's attempts for a point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did i mention that i literally have no plan for this story??? like i know how shit is gonna go down but to get to that part, i'm winging it.


	3. Chapter 3

"Still trying are you?" Michael asked as a certain raven haired boy sat across him in the cafeteria. He didn't even need to look up from his game of Crossy Road to tell it was Calum.

The boy had already started on his daily task of getting a date with Michael when they were in maths. Michael was almost hoping that Calum would go back to the popular's table, but apparently the boy was stubborn.

Calum flashed him a smile even though Michael's attention was on a emo goose, "Of course! I don't give up."

"I'm still not going to date you." Michael said, unamused and slightly distracted from his game.

"That's what you think. Really I -" Calum's words stopped short as Michael leaned over a pressed a finger to the boy's lips.

"Shush, I'm concentrating on beating Luke's high score." Michael mumbled before moving back to his seat and continuing his game.

Calum was quiet, but Michael could feel Calum staring at him. He just couldn't be bothered to care in that moment. He was too into the mobile game to care. It was his lowkey payback for the music class incident yesterday. Michael held a grudge.

Once Michael died at 426, a good 273 points over Luke's he set the phone down and stared back at Calum. The boy was still staring and it both annoyed Michael and made him happy.

Really Michael kind of hated the part of him that was crushing on the pretty boy, even with what he heard about Calum. Michael couldn't help but still have a crush.

"So is there anything thing else you wanted besides a date with me? Because that will never happen." Michael folded his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows at Calum, schooling his expression into a neutral, uninterested one.

"C'mon, just one teeny tiny date." He pleaded, giving Michael his best puppy dog look. Part of Michael wanted to say yes, the part that he hated for having a crush on Calum and his cute puppy dog eyes. It took all of Michael's will power to continue looking neutral about it and shook his head,

"Nope, it's not gonna happen." Calum frowned and leaned on the table to look closer at Michael.

"You sure you don't have some sort of player complex? Be the one person to get me to stop playing around? Be the only one I touch? The only one I think about, not any of the girls and guys throwing themselves at me?" He whispered with a slight smirk.

Michael pursed his lips and shook his head again. "No, I'm not going to date you. Go pick someone else."

"But," Calum started and moved to sit next to Michael. "I want you. I don't want anyone else." He rested a hand on Michael's thigh and that was where Michael drew the line. The boy quickly got up leaving Calum alone at the table and left without another word.

It was one thing to be crushing on Calum, it was something else entirely to be getting turned on by him and Michael knew if he stayed around the boy any longer, Calum would know what he can do to Michael and it would be even harder to refuse those dates.

He had just gotten to his locker to get his books for his next class when he his phone buzzed in his pocket with a text.

From: Baby Duck  
you lil shit  
there's no way i'll beat your score

To: Baby Duck  
good  
it's my revenge

From: Baby Duck  
you hold serious grudges

To: Baby Duck  
shut up hemmings

-

At the end of school, Michael found himself around Calum once again. At least this time the boy was keeping his distance as the two was walking out of the school.

"I'm Calum and I like warm hugs." Calum blurted out. Michael took a step back in shock, the words being the last thing he expected Calum to say.

"Did you- Did just quote Frozen at me?"

"Maybe."

"You did! Holy shit, please don't tell me that's your Disney favourite movie."

"It's not. I actually really like Brave." Michael paused and nodded in approval at Calum's choice. Calum grinned at Michael, noting that this was the first conversation they were having where there was no flirting.

Michael cracked a small smile at Calum which was returned by a grin. The boy could feel himself crushing a little more on Calum and he still didn't want to. Michael didn't want to get close to boy know that they'd probably break up after a week, but another part of him wanted to try.

"I-I gotta get going." Michael mumbled, his brain winning over his heart. He tried to ignore the disappointed look on Calum's face, but it looked so out of place and Michael kind of liked cocky asshole Calum way better than sad. "See you tomorrow, yeah?" He mumbled, trying to get a smile back on Calum's face before his left.

It worked and a cheeky grin was back of Calum's face. "Yeah, see you tomorrow babe. Same time, same class." Michael rolled his eyes, but the small smile on his lips was still there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, the malum is now lowkey happening. and i'll try to get more lashton in the next chapter. also monday updates staying strong!! i'm trying people, i'm trying to update this every monday.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey babe!" Calum said cheerfully as he sat in the seat next to Michael for maths class. Michael sent him a small smile, ignoring the way the pet name gave him a butterfly feeling.

"So, there's a new pizzeria downtown that's supposed be amazing..." Calum trailed off with a cheeky smile.

"I'm still not going on a date with you." Michael commented. He was getting really good at keeping his expression and all the boy could hope for is that Calum would give up. Although part of him was still wanted to scream yes and be happy with Calum.

"How about a double date?"

"Huh?"

"Double date. You and me. Ashton and Luke."

Michael paused and stared at Calum trying to see where the boy was trying to go with the double date. "Listen, my family is friends with Ashton's. I'm sure I could set Luke up. All you gotta do is go to the pizzeria with me."

"I'll get back to you on that." Michael mumbled and slouched down in his seat. Playing with his grey sweater sleeves and pretty much not paying attention at all in maths class.

Calum sent the jet black haired boy a quick smile before offering a hand to help Michael up. The walked in silence down the hallway to music class and that's when Michael finally noticed the whispers and looks Calum was getting.

Michael knew the boy got a lot, but he didn't realize just how much. "Is it lonely?" He mumbled, looking up at the boy. Calum stopped suddenly and stared at Michael. "I mean everyone wants to get in your pants. So it must be weird knowing that the people who want to be friends with you, wouldn't mind sex."

They stood outside the music classroom staring at each other until Calum chuckled and ruffled Michael's hair receiving a whine from the boy as he made an effort to fix his flyaway hair. "You're smarter than everyone give you credit for," Calum commented before opening the door for the classroom. " Monsieur."

"You're not French." Michael said as he walked in, with Calum coming up next to him once the door could safely swing shut.

"True, but I got to put my French classes to use somehow." Calum winked and the two boys took their seats. "Luke! Hey! Luke!" Calum softly yelled to get Luke's attention. The blond boy turned his attention to the other with a curious expression and leaned over Michael, making the boy sigh at his friend.

"We're going to a pizzeria tomorrow night and you're coming with. It's a double date-Ow!" Calum rubbed his arm where Michael had lightly punched.

"It's not a double date and I haven't even agreed to it." Michael grumbled.

"You will." Calum stated before turning his attention back to the blond who was watching the interaction between him and Michael with interest. "So double date. Michael and I, you and Ashton. It'll be great, everyone will love the pizza. Someone will decide they love me and it's great. So are you in?"

"Yeah, I'm totally in!" Luke nodded with a bright smile and turned back to look at Ashton who already staring at him, but as soon as Luke caught him the boy blushed a looked down at his hands.

Michael crossed his arms and frowned, slouching a little in his seat as the music teacher walked in and started teaching the class on songwriting and how to develop a tune to what you're writing. He still hasn't even agreed to the double date and now Luke's in on it.

He noticed the small glances he kept getting from Calum, but decidedly ignored them. He was stubborn and upset with Calum and Luke again. It was starting to seem that Luke was on Calum's side and wanted Michael to date the pretty boy, but then Michael realized that Ashton was involved. Luke was never a helpful friend when Ashton was involved.

The boy remembered when Luke first met Ashton in the hallways because that had the ever chlice bump in the hallway and both boys seemed instantly attached, but neither ever made a move. Sure the two were friendly and talked when they saw each other and had this weird flirtationship, but neither had made a move.

Michael had to admit if this was Calum's plot to get a date with him, that it was a damn good one. Maybe Luke and Ashton will stop walking around each other, but then again that would mean that could become Luke and Ashton and maybe Michael and was actually kind of scary.

Michael didn't want to admit that he was clingy, but he was. If Luke started dating Ashton then he knew that would be all the blond would talk about.

That was one more reason that he didn't want to date Calum. If he got attached, and Calum stuck with his ways, Michael would be fucked. Unless...maybe Michael could date Calum, no feelings attached, until the boy get's tired and dumps him. Then they could move on.

Although, there was the mini crush he had on Calum. It could grow while he's dating Calum and in the end he's fucked. Michael pursed his lips and realized either way he was fucked. It's either don't date Calum but still want to date him, date him with hopefully no feelings attached, but feelings could come in.

Being too lost in thought, Michael hadn't noticed the end of class. He probably wouldn't have noticed, but Calum was there poking his arm.

"Mikey, babe, class is over." Calum said softly and Michael ignored the happy feeling in his chest.

Sighing deeply, Michael looked up at Calum and nodded. "I'll go."

A confused expression crossed Calum's pretty features as the boy tilted his head to the side, looking so much like a puppy. It was a adorable. "You'll go?"

"This double date, I'll go."

Suddenly Calum faced morphed to one of excitement and Michael could imagine little puppy ears perking up out of Calum's brown hair and a tail wagging behind the boy.

"Only one date. Okay? After this I'm back to rejecting you."

"One date is all I need to win you over!" Calum said confidently, winking at Michael causing the boy to sigh and question why he agreed to this.

At least the rest of the day went better. Calum hung out with his own click and not with Michael and Luke. Not that Michael was going to admit that he hoped the boy would've still spent time with them.

"You're staring." Luke pointed out at the end of school as Michael was staring at Calum who was putting his books into his backpack and slightly bobbing his head along to music. It was really cute, but Michael snapped his attention back to Luke and frowned.

"No I'm not. I'm looking at you." Michael mumbled, weakly looking up at Luke.

"You were staring." Luke stated again.

"Who was Michael staring at? Should I beat them up for stealing my date?" Calum suddenly appeared with an interested expression.

Michael pursed his lips and grabbed his backpack as he mumbled, "I don't deserve this shit. I'm a good person." He waved bye to Luke and Calum, who either looked confused or like they were gonna start laughing and Michael was not going to be there for that, so walking away it would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okaaaaaay i know i said more lashton in this chapter but ???? there was how lashton met and ashton is actually gonna be in next chapter cause double date so yeah. have this, enjoy this, i'll hopefully be back next monday with another update.
> 
> oh and if you wanna come talk to me about malum or anything, my tumblr is lillukeypoo


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yo this chapter is very much unedited, just fyi.

"So..." Calum slid into his seat next to Michael with a sly grin. "We have our date tonight." Michael schooled his expression into something he hope was nutreal enough, since he actually was kind of excited for the date, but he was never going to admit that. So he simply shrugged in reply. 

"You know I'm only doing this so you'll stop asking." 

"C'mon you know you want me." Calum smirked and leaned over to Michael.

"Y'know, I think I like the lame ass Calum that was quoting Frozen better." The boy mumbled as he tried to ignore Calum.

"Hey! My ass is not lame." Calum shouted and instantly blushed as the teacher and the other few people that were there early for the class turned to stare at him. 

"Don't worry Cal, I think your ass is cute." One girl smiled up to Calum and the boy returned the smile. Michael rolled his eyes and slouched down in his seat. Maths was definitely not his favourite subject. 

But then Lunch wasn't really anything better. For once Calum actually went over to his own table, aka yhe popular one and everything was okay. Until Michael realized Luke was off studying in the library and Michael actually didn't have any other friends.

Luke was pretty much his best and only friend. Michael pursed his lips a bit and slouched down in his seat. He almost wished Calum was over to annoy him, even if the boy never actually annoyed him that much. 

Michael hated his crush on the boy. He was actually a little bit excited for the double date, but his self previsertion keeps kicking in and reminds him that going out with Calum would be a very very bad idea. 

Still...Michael had been crushing on the boy since the first year of highschool. He had a cute fringe back then and his cheeks were way more squishy. Michael had wanted to hug him, but that felt weird. 

"Hey flatass." Michael jumped as Luke suddenly appeared with a happy grin. "Ashton is amazing. He's so cute and excited for our date. Honestly, can we ditch you and Calum?" 

"Firstly, who are you calling a flatass you....duckling." Master of combacks: Michael Clifford. "Secondly, no ditching. I don't want to be stuck with pretty face." 

Luke rolled his eyes and Michael was almost willing to take his phone again and beat his highscore on Ninja Up too. "C'mon, he's not that bad," Luke said. 

"Yes, he is! He's a known player, I don't want to get attached just to get my heartbroken a week later!" Michael almost yelled before realizing he was still in a school. 

"Those are rumours, Michael. He could actually like you." 

Michael pursed his lips and quickly swipped Luke's phone from where the blond boy had set it on the table and left to beat a highscore before returning the phone to Luke. He heard the weak protests from Luke, but the boy was too clumsy to get up from the table before Michael dissappeared in the crowd. 

After beating Luke's highscore on Ninja Up and returning the phone to a pouting Luke. Michael skipped the rest of his classes in favour of bleaching his hair to blond. 

His ignored his phone for two hours knowing any texts he got would probably be from Luke asking where he was. For once, Michael was happy that his parents worked so much. He could blast music and bleach his hair in peace and not get in trouble for skipping his classes. 

-

Once his hair was blond again, Michael switched shirts to a striped sleeveless one and grabbed a leather jacket before leaving the house to go on this date.

Although, when Michael stepped outside his door he immediately noticed a certain boy with a pretty face leaning against a black mustang. Michael had to admit Calum did look hot and a small part (big part) wantes to run up and make out with the boy, 

Shaking the thought from his head, Michael walked up to Calum who had been distracted texting. "Calum? What are doing here?" 

Calum immediately looked up and sent a bright smile to Michael. "Isn't it custom to pick someone up for a date?" 

"Yes, but how the hell do you know where I live? Holy shit, you stalk me don't you?" Michael was partily joking with the last part. 

"Nope! I got your address from Luke." 

"I hate Luke." 

"Awh, so it's not just me you hate?" 

"Ashton. Ashton is the only one I don't hate right now." 

"Have you met Ashton?"

"Kinda? I was there when he met Luke and I talked to him once in art class?" 

"Doesn't count. Ashton can be an ass."

"Why is ass being talked about so much today. First I call you a lame ass, Luke calls me a flatass-" 

"Your ass isn't flat." 

"I know. His ass is the flat one. I got the booty and I don't even need a milkshake to bring the boys to the yard." 

"Ashton would disagree with you. I've had to hear about how Luke's is so perky and cute."

"Shit, no, no, no. We're not talking about Luke's ass." Michael protested, covering his ears with his hands. He almost went la la la, but figured that would be taking it too far.

Calum laughed and pushed himself off the car. "Well then, shall we go on our date misour?" The boy opened the passenger door for Michael to get into.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go." Michael nodded in agreement and slid into the car. Calum gently closed the door. He then tried to slid across the hood, but failed at the end and almost fell on his face. 

When the boy dusted himself off, fixed his shirt, and got in the driver's side seat, Michael had both his hands covering his mouth as he laughed. Calum rolled his eyes, but started the car. 

Immediately Here's To The Zero's loudly came on, startling Michael a little and Calum quickly turned it off as he sent an apologic smile.

"Hey, no. Turn it back on. I love Marianas Trench." Michael protested, earning a slightly shocked and happy look from Calum as the boy quickly turned it back on. 

Calum started quitely singing along as he backed out of Michael's driveway and Michael had to admit, he really liked Calum's singing. Maybe if he could just get Calum to sing for the entire date he'd been fine. 

Half way through Celebrity Status, Michael started singing along too. He could feel Calum's gaze on him, but he couldn't be bothered to care in that moment. 

When they got to the pizzeria, Calum quickly got out of the car and raced over to open Michael's door before he could do it himself. Michael looked up in surpise before getting out of the car. 

Ashton and Luke where already there and Luke waved them over. Calum sild into the booth first and then Michael. So Calum was across from Luke and Michael was across from Ashton. 

"Hey, Michael right?" Ashton sent a friendly smile and held his hand out. Michael shook it and returned the smile.

"Yup, and you're Ashton." The boy smiled brightly to Michael before giggling slightly and turning to Calum.

"Hey, Cal, wasn't blond your favourite colour on Michael?" Ashton asked, his head tilting to the side with a slight smile. Michael lowkey directed his attention to Calum and Ashton, and the former was blushing and was slowly sinking down in the booth. 

"Shh, you promised we would never talk about that." Calum mumbled, hiding his face in his hands. 

"What were you talking about?" Luke asked curiously.

"Okay so, it was three weeks ago and this loser was hammered. He couldn't walk straight, his words were slurring all over the place and we had gone to a McDonald's because he was craving some nuggets. But while we were there Michael showed up-" 

"Wait, I showed up?" Michael asked as he interrupted Ashton's story. He remembered being home alone as his parents had a night shift so he went to McDonald's in the middle of the night, but he didn't recall seeing Calum and Ashton there.

Calum nodded, "Yeah, we already sitting in the back by that time and you never noticed us." The boy mumbled, sliding further down under the table.

"Yup, exactly." Ashton nodded, confirming what Calum said before turning his attention back to Luke. "So Michael showed up and Calum almost went over. I stopped him, but then Cal started going on about how Michael was so amazing and his hair colour is always so great, but blond was his favourite." Ashton giggled as he remembered this night. "And then when Michael left Calum was all pouty and like "He's so pretty, I wanna cry."" 

"I did not quote Friends!" Calum protested crossing his arms over his chest. 

"You did, don't even lie to yourself. Besides who was the drunk one that night?" 

Michael giggled, hiding his face behind a menu, "Well at least someone is enjoying my humiliation." Calum grumbled which just made Michael giggle even more. 

-

"Who the fuck get's Hawaiian pizza?" Michael asked as soon as the waiter left with their orders. 

"Obviously I do." Calum shrugged. 

"But- No. No one should eat Hawaiian pizza. Why are you putting mushrooms and pineapple on a pizza? The ham is fine, but mushrooms? Pineapples? No thank you." Michael shook his head at Calum. 

Luke and Ashton paid no attention to the conversation since they were in their own little world as always. Only this time they were actually in it together. Thinking about it, even if the two had ditched the date it wouldn't be much different. 

Although Michael did determine that Calum wasn't so bad. The boy hadn't tried to make any advances and as long as he didn't, Michael would be okay with this date. 

-

After the pizza Michael found himself leaning his head on Calum's shoulder. He didn't know how it happened, but eating so much had made him sleepy and Calum's shoulder looked comfy enough. Michael promised himself that it didn't mean anything, this was still his last date with Calum and then the boy can go off and date some other poor soul. 

Michael closed his eyes for a second and then it felt like a couple seconds later Calum was nudging him. Sitting up striaght, the boy noticed that Luke and Ashton were no longer around and two to-go boxes where on the table. 

"C'mon, let's go. You look like you're ready to fall asleep again." Calum said softly and Michael mutely nodded and got up. He went to grab the two boxes, but Calum beat him to it. So now Calum had the two boxes and he casually slipped his hand into Michael's. 

"So, I know you said this would be our only date, but do you want to go on another one?" Calum asked hopefully as he opened the door out of the restaurant. 

Michael shrugged, "Ask me again in a week." 

"Alright I will." Calum smiled brightly and for a spilt second Michael hoped that he really would ask. 

-

Once Calum dropped Michael off, he stood outside the door for a second as Michael unlocked the door. As soon as it was unlocked, Calum quickly pressed a light kiss to Michael's cheek and mumbled a good night. 

Michael didn't have much time to react as Calum ean off into his car and drove away. He was too tired to think about how he forgot his leftover pizza in the car. Too tired to realize exactly what happened. And too tired to even try and deny the butterfly feeling the kiss gave him. 

Michael was going to sleep and worry about it in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk what this update is but hiiii. i figured i finish and post this before i leave to see my sister and then i'mma be going to rowyso tampa!!! tbh i'll probably get some writing done during the trip so depending on how much i write, i may do a double update on monday or tuesday.


	6. Chapter 6

Saturdays were okay for Michael normally, but normally he didn't have an excited lanky blond boy jumping on his bed trying to wake him up.

Luke was always more of a morning person. It made Michael wonder how they were even friends, with Luke being his opposite in most ways. But the boy had good music taste so there was that and Michael didn't really have any other offers for friendship or did he want any. Not to mention that they've been friends since primary school.

"Mikey! Wake up." Luke whined as he shook Michael. The sleepy boy simple swatted at Luke and rolled over so his back was facing the blond.

"What time is it?" He mumbled.

"Ten am. Wake up now, I want waffles and your mum said to wake you up first."

"Mmm, no. Come back in three hours." Michael pulled the covers over his head and immediately they were pulled back. Luke was a couple inches away from his face and Michael was about to push the boy off his bed. "Go away, I'll be out in a couple minutes."

Luke left with a threat that Michael hadn't caught. The boy sat up and stretched out before grabbing the phone on the floor next to his bed. Unlocking it he was met with 6 texts. 3 from Luke, 1 from his Mum, and 2 from a… C-Dizzle?

Michael opened the ones from Luke first.

 **From: _Baby Duck_**  
_MICHAEL_  
 _ASHTON ASKED ME ON ANOTHER DATE_  
 _also i'm coming over in a couple minutes :p_

Running a hand through his hair, Michael frowned. He figured something like this would happen one day and he trusted that Luke wouldn't forget about him, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was going to be third wheeling a lot soon. At least Ashton seemed nice enough.

Next was his mum.

**From: _Mama Bear_**   
_I'm working late tonight._   
_Try not to be out too long._

His parents always worked a lot, but they tried to keep him informed and they would still do things like make breakfast if they had the time, so Michael wasn't too upset about all the working hours.

Now for the one that was confusing him. C-Dizzle.

**From: _C-Dizzle_**   
_heeeeey micky, you're so fine, you're so fine, you blow my mind, hey hey, hey micky!!_   
_lol hi it's calum, aka guy you went out on a date with ;p_

A couple more texts appeared as he was reading

**From: _C-Dizzle_**   
_do you want to hang out today?_   
_this isn't me asking you out on a date, just hanging out_   
_ashton is going to ask luke to hang out and i'm bored_   
_we could watch netflix, play video games??_   
_WAIT NOT LIKE THAT_   
_THAT SOUNDS LIKE NETFLIX AND CHILL_   
_I LITERALLY JUST MEAN WATCH NETFLIX OR PLAY VIDEO GAMES_   
_NO CHILLING_   
_unless you want to chill ;)_

Michael rolled his eyes. He wasn't sure what made him reply but he did. So he was just going to text Calum until he was ready to go down for waffles.

**To: _C-Dizzle_**   
_first, how the fuck did you get my number and why are you C-Dizzle?_   
_secondly, i don't want to chill_   
_but_   
_video games sound cool_   
_what video games?_

**From: _C-Dizzle_**   
_…i have my ways and a luke_   
_i feel like this is a test_   
_guitar hero, mario, fifa, borderlands, and if i beg ashton little big planet and mortal kombat_

**To: _C-Dizzle_**   
_I hate luke_   
_which mortal kombat?_

**From: _C-Dizzle_**   
_the new one?_

**To: _C-Dizzle_**   
_fuck yeah_   
_beg ashton so i can beat your ass at mortal kombat_

**From: _C-Dizzle_**   
_i'll have you know I'm great at button mashing_

**To: _C-Dizzle_**   
_doesn't matter_   
_i'll kick your ass_

He quickly pocketed his phone before Calum could reply cause he was actually hungry and waffles sounded good. So walking to the kitchen he saw his mum and Luke talking about something until they saw him.

"Finally!" Luke groaned like it pained him to be waiting so long to eat.

"Hi sweetie." His mum smiled and pushed two plates of waffles at the two boys. Michael could tell that the late shift went way longer than his mum expected. The bags under her eyes made him think that she hasn't even slept yet.

"Have you slept yet?" He asked in between bites of food.

His mum shook her head. "Not yet. My shift didn't end until nine and Luke was here trying to make breakfast so I figured I'd make some for the both of you." Mama Clifford turned to clean the dishes, but Michael shot up out of his chair and all but actually pushed his mum out of the kitchen.

"Mum, sleep. I'll clean up." He got a releaved smile in return and was pulled into a hug. Mama Clifford gave really good hugs and as much as he wouldn't admit to it in public, he loved them and his mum. Total mama's boy.

As his mum left Michael turned to Luke and shoved him off the breakfast bar stool. "Why'd you give Calum my number and make his contact name C-Dizzle?"

Luke pouted at he looked up at Michael. "How do you that? Be so kind one moment and shove me off my seat next?"

"You haven't answered my question." Michael said as he sat on his own breakfast bar stool and finished eating his waffles.

"Calum seems like a really cool guy and I think you should give him a chance. You need more than one friend." Luke explained.

"I have friends! I have tons of friends." Michael objected even though he knew it wouldn't work. Both of them knew that Luke was Michael's only friend. Luke had a couple, not that he would call them best friends, but Michael just had him.

"Just try and be friends with Calum. You don't have to date him, just be friends. You two are more alike then you want to admit." Luke shrugged.

The two ate in silence after that. Michael thinking about what Luke had said and about Calum. Now Michael didn't know what to do about the boy with a pretty face. Calum seemed cool and someone he might want to hang out with as friends, but he was still a cocky asshole that seemed to think he could get anything he wanted. Michael didn't see how Luke thought they were alike.

Michael grabbed his and Luke's plates as he went to clean up.

Somehow just doing cleaning up the slight breakfast mess turned into cleaning the entire kitchen, not that the kitchen was that big, but things snowballed into one another. Luke had left a couple minutes ago, talking about meeting Ashton for a movie and Michael tried not to be hurt by that, but things were changing. Michael really hated change.

As he was just finishing up cleaning the counter tops his phone started playing his pokemon theme ringtone. Pulling it out of his pocket, Michael didn't even bother to check the caller I.D and he just placed the phone between his ear and shoulder as he finished cleaning.

"Hey Micky!" Calum sing-songed. "So, I didn't get Mortal Kombat from Ashton. The guy wanted twenty bucks to borrow it! I could just buy the game instead of paying that."

"What's your point?" Michael asked as he examined the cleaned kitchen for a second before going to living room and falling back onto one of the sofas.

"My point is that I'm at GameStop looking for this damn game and if you don't come over and try to beat my ass on it then I'm beating your ass in real life." Calum threatened, but somehow Michael didn't see any real threat behind it.

"Am I going to yours or are you coming here?" If change was happening, might as well see if he could become at least friends with Calum. Maybe when the boy realized hpw shitty of a friend Michael could be sometimes, he wouldn't want to date him,

"Thanks. It'd be boyfriend, but no. I'd wish, but they're just a friend." Michael faintly heard Calum through the phone and he assumes that Calum was paying for the game although the last part confused him. "Um, mine I guess. Do you need me to pick you up?" Calum spoke to him and Michael shrugged before realizing that oh, Calum couldn't see him.

"If it's not too much trouble that'd be great."

"Okay, I'll be there in twenty minutes? Yeah, twentyish minutes."

"Alright."

"Bye!" Calum yelled and Michael winced at the loudness right in his ear.

Twenty minutes? That gave Michael time to nap after being rudely woken up by Luke that morning.

-

Michael did nap, he didn't wake up until there was a knock at the door. He practically rolled off the sofa and stood up, walking over the door. Opening the door there was Calum, looking like an excited puppy as always.

"Hey Cal." Michael mumbled and rubbed his eyes, missing the bright smile that appeared on Calum's face at that nickname. "Come inside, I need to go grab my converse."

Michael expected Calum to follow him through to the room and the boy did. Michael grabbed his pale converse and simply sat on the floor as he put them on and started lacing up the shoes.

"Your room is nice. It feels very…you." Calum commented looking around at the slightly mess room. He preferred it to his own honestly. The posters stuck on a bit haphazardly on the walls, the messy bed, the tv that had the Destiny character select screen on.

Michael simply hummed in agreement to Calum's comment before hopping ip off the floor and grabbing the boy's hand to lead him out of the room. "That's enough time in my room."

Michael dropped Calum's hand in favour of writing a note for his mum that he was going out with a friend and would be back later.

"Alright, I'm ready." He sent a friendly smile to the boy. Luke's words echoing in his head that the two of them were more similar than they thought.

Calum grinned and lead Michael to his car. Once they were in he passed the GameStop bag to Michael. "Here. I got the version that the girl said was the best. I don't play Mortal Kombat that often unless it's with Ashton so." He ended with a shrug.

An excited shout escaped past Michael's lips as he looked between Calum and the game. "You got the Kollectors edition! What the hell, this is like 90 bucks! You couldn't pay Ashton 20 to borrow the game, but you'll pay ninty for a limited edition one?"

Calum shrugged and backed out of Michael's driveway. "When you say it like that it doesn't make sense."

"And you said that you don't even play Mortal Kombat that often! You better play the fuck out of this and get top rank in one of the faction wars or I will steal it, do all that, and punch you for letting an awesome game go to waste." Michael jokingly threatened.

"Or I could save myself from all that and just give the game to you." Calum shrugged, like it was no big deal that he just offered to give Michael one of his dream games. (The other was all the expansions for Destiny)

"You can't be serious." Michael stared at Calum's profile as the boy concentrated on driving.

"I am. Keep it after we play today. It will go to waste if I keep it and I'm pretty sure Ashton might also kick my ass if I let that game go to waste if it's a collectors."

Michael watched the boy in awe. He was speechless. Calum treated the game like ot was just a cheap game that Micharl could get at a thrift shop or something.

Everything made sense as Calum pulled into a driveway of a massive house and simply got out. "Bienvenue chez moi." Michael sent him a blank look as he also got out and Calum chuckled as he repeated in English. "Welcome to my house."

"Your house? You live here? Fuck, do you have servants? This looks like a house that would have servants."

"Nope, no servants...They're off on Saturdays." Calum held a straight face for all of 5 seconds, but he couldn't hold the giggles back at Michael slightly confused yet adorable expression.

"You're joking, yeah?" He asked quietly, like he was still trying to comprehend everything that was going on.

"Yeah, I'm joking. My family doesn't have servants, but I'm sure my sister would love some. She hates cleaning as much as I hate brussel sprouts."

"Who even likes brussel sprouts?"

-

"I need to change you contact name." Michael commented as he and Calum hung out in Calum's movie/game room while eating Chinese takeout. After Michael had beaten Calum forty-four times out of the fiftyish games they had played, Calum suggested that they break for food.

Calum hummed before mumbling a "Why?"

"C-Dizzle. I refuse to have C-Dizzle as a contact name in my phone. It is unacceptable."

"What will you except?"

"Animals."

"Animals?"

"Luke is Baby Duck, my mum and dad are Mama Bear and Papa Bear. If I had Ashton as a contact he would be Chipmunk." Michael explained with a shrug.

"Chipmunk? I'm definitely calling Ashton that now." Calum giggled. He cocked his head to the side as he looked at Michael. "What is my name going to be?"

"Australian Shepherd maybe? I don't know yet, but it'll be puppy related for sure."

"Puppy related? Why a puppy? Couldn't I be something cooler like a wolf or-"

"Hey, Australian Shepard's are really great. I would love to have one so even considering to make that your contact name is a honor."

"Alright. I'll accept Australian Shepherd then."

"You don't have to accept it. Luke objects to Baby Duck, but he's learned not to argue with me on it."

"Well I accept it anyway. And I'm telling Ashton he reminds you of a chipmunk."

"Chipmunks are cute, he should take it as a compliment."

"I'm sure he will." Calum said with a giggle. "But it might annoy him if I start calling him chipmunk all the time."

"Don't call him chipmunk then. That's my nickname for him." Michael laughed and threw a piece of chicken at Calum.

Calum threw the piece of chicken back at Michael with a cheeky smile. "Are we starting a food fight?" He asked curiously, but quickly started laughing as the bleached blond boy held his takeout container close. "I'm taking that as a no."


	7. Chapter 7

"Did you know that Norway made a penguin a knight?" Luke asked as he looked up at Michael.

"You must be so proud of your cousin." Michael said. Distracting himself by the Mortal Kombat app on his phone. Although Michael could feel the pout that was on Luke's face. The blond had never been found of always being compared to a baby duck or penguin. That was how Michael rolled though and the bleached blond was stubborn about the comparison.

Luke went back to his own phone after that, scrolling through the page of random facts. Monday was turning out to be a boring day for the both of them. Michael was both surprised and sad at the fact that Calum wasn't at their table in the cafeteria. From where Michael was sitting he could see the tanned boy hanging out at the popular table, but every time Calum turned and almost made eye contact, Michael would go back to tapping on the game.

He refused to let himself be upset over this, but he kind of was. Lunch was a bit more interesting with the boy, but Michael was never going to say it out loud or let anyone know about it. Not at all.

"Dude, why are you staring at Calum?"

Okay, maybe he wasn't as subtle as he thought in his staring if Luke picked up on it. Michael shrugged and went back to the game mumbling a "'M not staring." Michael could tell the blond was rolling his eyes, but he was going to let it slide for once.

"Why don't you go over and just talk to him?"

"Not everything is rainbows and Ashton." Michael mumbled, glancing up as he heard Calum's laugh from across the room. He hated the way he got a butterfly feeling from the sound and just wanted to hear it more often.

"Dude, the guy got you Mortal Kombat! Go talk to him."

"No. I'm pulling a Luke."

"So you do like him!" Luke yelled and Michael immediately slouched down in his seat. He noticed Calum turning around to look at their table and Michael looked down at his game and acted like he was fighting someone when really he was just going between two character screens.

Michael saw Luke staring at him curiously. Opening his mouth to say something before closing it a couple seconds later.

The bell rung a couple moments later and Michael dashed out of the cafeteria with a mumbled "Bye" to Luke.

-

At the end of school, Michael was shoving his books and homework into his backpack. Luke had ditched him to go hang out with Ashton. Michael acted like he was fine with that, but in reality he was clingy and Luke was his only friend, unless Calum counted and the boy wasn't sure if he counted just yet.

Tightening the straps of his backpack as he started walking out of the school with the crowd that was leaving as well. Michael did faintly heard his name being called, but he ignored it as there was two other Michael's in his school although they were both in lower years.

Stopping on the sidewalk once he was far enough away from the school, Michael pulled out his phone as it buzzed with a notification.

**From: _Australian Shepard_**   
_MICKY_   
_WAIT THE FUCK UP_

Suddenly there was a Calum next to him. "I tried calling for you, but you seem to be deaf. Want to hang out today?"

Michael looked at Calum in shock and nodded before he knew what he was doing. A bright smile crossed the pretty boy's face.

"I was going to dye my hair, but I can do that later." Michael commented with a shrug, but the boy shook his head.

"Nah, you can dye your hair. I'll help!" Calum looked so much like an excited puppy that Michael didn't have it in him to decline.

"I guess we're making a stop at Hot Topic then."

-

"Holy shit there's so much hair dye!" Calum stared in wonder at the shelf of hair dye. Michael was a lot more calm about it and watched as Calum picked up a bottle of blue hair dye. "Damn, this is awesome."

Michael chuckled, "Welcome to the wonders of hair dye."

"This is making me want to dye my hair. What do you think, could I work blue?" Calum looked up at Michael and the boy pursed his lips. He took a step closer to Calum and gently ran his fingers through it.

"Your hair is really healthy. If you want to go blue you need to bleach and that'll damage it." Michael commented and picked up a box of bleach. "Do you seriously want to dye it?"

Calum stared at the bottle of dye in his hand and nodded.

"Okay...How set are you on the blue?"

"How about you choose what to do with my hair? After all you're more experience with this than I am." Calum shrugged. He also had no clue how to go about dying it, so he kind of did need Michael's help on this anyway.

The boy nodded and took the bottle of blue away from Calum. He gently ran his fingers through Calum's hair again. Michael looked between Calum and the blue for a couple of minutes before setting it back on the shelf and grabbing a bottle of purple.

He looked at Calum again and grabbed another bottle of purple but in a different shade. "Alright, I think I know how I'm going to do this and if it works how I want, it'll be cool." Michael sent a reassuring smile to Calum and the boy returned it.

Michael went up to the counter to pay for the dye, but Calum set his hand on Michael's arm before he could. "What about you?" He asked, cocking his head to the side.

"You pick for me." Michael shrugged. Thinking it was only fair that Calum picked his next hair color if he was picking for the boy.

Calum grinned and got the bottle of blue he was looking at before. The pretty boy also took the hair dye and bleach from Michael. Going up to the counter to pay for it with Michael following closely behind, mumbling protests that Calum ignored.

-

The two went back to Michael's house so that the boy could bleach Calum's hair. Calum pulled his shirt off and Michael sputtered and tried to keep his eyes from checking out the boy's torso. "Why are you taking off your shirt?" Michael squeaked, but if it was ever brought up he would deny it.

"I don't want to get bleach on it?" Calum asked. He seemed confused about Michael's reaction for a couple seconds, but he did realize why, Michael wishes he hadn't. "Why is my body distracting?" Calum struck pose and Michael really couldn't help the way he got distracted looking at the shirtless boy in his room.

Quickly turning around, Michael opened his closet and dug through a mess of clothes until he found an old muscle shirt and threw it at the the pretty boy. "Here put that on."

Calum giggled and pulled it over himself. His arms and a bit of his chest were visible, but Michael could handle that much better than a completely shirtless Calum.

"Shut up, I have control of bleach near your face." Michael grumbled, but he could feel that this wasn't going to be the last he heard of this moment. "I'm just adding blond highlights to your hair tonight and tomorrow we'll do the purple. Be sure to shower and deep condition and shit. Trust me, you want to take care of your hair while dying it."

"Yes sir!" Calum nodded and salutes at Michael.

The boy scrunched up his nose at that. "Never call me sir again. That's weird, you're weird."

Calum shrugged. "Whatever you say Micky."

"Why do you call me Micky?" Michael wondered out loud as he prepared the bleach.

"Everyone else calls you Mikey or Michael yeah?" Michael nodded. "Then that's why. It's different and we aren't at the stage where I can call you any of the other nicknames I want."

"Other nicknames? What are the other nicknames?"

"One day you might know."

Michael pouted at Calum and sent him a puppy dog look because dammit, he was curious. "Tell me!"

"Nope."

"I have bleach near your hair." Michael threatened.

"I can always dye my hair back to black if you mess it up." Calum giggled.

Michael pursed his lips and went with plan b to get Calum to tell him. "I'll go on another date with you if you tell me."

"Kitten, kit-kat, love, and Mi-Mi." Calum said and Michael took a step back at the sudden answer. He wasn't expecting that to happen, but maybe he should've. "So, that date." Calum wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at Michael and the boy held back a laugh.

"Hey, we have hair dye first." Michael pushed his computer chair into the bathroom and motioned for Calum to sit down. "Okay, so there's no going back once I start, are you sure you want to do this?"

Calum nodded. "What are you going to do?" He asked curiously as Michael put on gloves to protect his hands from the bleach and messed with Calum's hair for a second before grabbing the bleach.

"Well tonight and tomorrow you're just going to have blond highlights. It'll look good for the day, don't worry your pretty little face. Then after that I'm making them a multishade of purple. It'll look good, trust me." Calum nodded and gave Michael's a thumbs up to go ahead with the bleach.

After Michael had finished bleaching Calum's hair and placed a shower cap to keep the heat in as they were waiting for it to develop, the boy insisted of doing Michael's. "C'mon!" He whined. "It can't be that hard to put blue all over your hair."

Michael giggled and finally handed the dye to Calum and let the boy apply the dye. The boy yelled happily and got another pair of gloves from Michael to keep his hands from turning blue. "Bienvenue à salon de'Calum!" The pretty boy said in his best French accent, causing Michael to bite his lip as he tried to hold back his laughter.

-

Half an hour later, Michael removed the cap and checked the boy's hair. Nodding to himself Michael looked at Calum. "C'mon, it's time to wash out the bleach." The boy nodded and went to pull off the shirt, but Michael quickly stopped him. "We're washing it out in the sink you dork!"

"We're?"

"Yeah, I'm going to wash it out for you. Unless you want to do it yourself?"

"No, no, you can wash it for me."

"Then c'mon, dork. And keep your shirt on!"

Calum giggled and followed after the soon to be blue haired boy. He watched as Michael turned on the water and kept testing it to make sure it wasn't really cold or really hot. "Okay, c'mon." Michael motioned the boy over when he deemed it was a good temperature.

He gently washed the bleach away from the boy's hair and massages some shampoo in before washing it out a couple seconds later. He switched to conditioner and took a some more time with that. Taking notice on how content Calum seemed to let Michael wash his hair. By the time he finished, Calum almost seemed to be dozing off. Michael gently nudged the boy to sit up, which he did and Michael gently dried his hair with a towel.

"Are you ready for the big reveal of you and blond highlights!?" He asked dramatically and Calum quickly nodded so Michael spun him around in the chair and made a tada sound as Calum was able to see his hair.

"Woah, this is really cool." The boy mumbled in shock at he played with the bleaches parts of his hair a little. "Is the purple really going to be able to top this?"

"The purple will top it, trust me." Michael smiled brightly.

Suddenly the sound of the front door was clicking open, signaling to Michael that one of his parents were home or it was Luke inviting himself in. As his mom called out a greeting, Michael got his answer.

"Hey mum!" Michael yelled from his room and he got a hi back. Turning to Calum he cocked hos head to the side. "Wanna meet my mum?"

Calum seemed to suddenly get really nervous, but nodded anyway. Michael noticed the nerves, but shrugged it off. His mum was great and she would probably insanity like Calum.

Leading Calum out of his room, he smiled at his mom who was in the kitchen looking through the cupboards. "Hey, want to see my latest masterpiece?" He asked with a grin. His mum obviously knew of his frequent dying habits. Mama Clifford turned around and chuckled softly.

"Mikey, you still need to wash it out." She said and Michael shook his head, although she did have a good point. It was time to wash out the dye.

"This isn't my masterpiece. This is!" Michael side step so his mum could see Calum who was nervously hidden behind Michael. "I did the blond and tomorrow we're going to add purple and it's gonna look awesome!" The boy sing-songed the last word and Calum snapped his attention to Michael. Suddenly wanting to hear the other actually sing.

"Also, this is Calum. We're....friends?" Michael said unsure.

Calum shrugged. "I want to be more, but Michael isn't having it."

Mama Clifford chuckled and looked between the two boys. "Luke told me about you two. But he also told me you have a cr-"

"You know it is time to wash my hair! C'mon Calum." Michael said suddenly and dragged Calum away before anyone could question it.

"You have a crush on me don't you?" Calum giggled as he watched Michael set the water temperature.

"I think I can wash my hair on my own."

"Nope, I'm returning the favour and doing it for you."

"But-"

"Sit down."

Michael slouched down in the seat and let Calum start washing the dye away from his hair. Once the dye was gone he turned off the water and started drying the boy's hair. Calum accidentally tugged on the damaged hair and a soft moan escaped Michael's lips. Both boys froze at the noise and Michael took the towel from Calum and finished drying his hair as the other just looked at him in shock.

Calum actually really wanted Michael to make that sound again, but by the way the boy was blushing, he wasn't going to let Calum have any chance to tug it again. Michael wasn't even looking up to meet Calum's eyes. His head was down, hiding his face, as he messily dried his own hair.

"That was-"

"Nothing. That was nothing, just forget about it." Michael mumbled. The pretty boy could tell that the other was really self conscious right now and Calum wasn't sure how to fix it. "You did a good job." He said, interrupting Calum's thoughts.

"Huh?"

"The hair, you did a good job." Michael mumbled as he played with his dark blue hair. "I like it."

Calum brightly smiled. "Yes! My first day as a dye master and I'm great."

"Yeah, yeah you did a good job."

There was a knock at the door and Michael shouted a "Come in." Mama Clifford entered and her attention immediately went to the blue hair.

"It looks good." She nodded in approval. "Would you like take out for dinner? There's not a lot in the fridge and I need to go food shopping soon."

"Yes! Can we get pizza?"

"Sure. Will you be staying for dinner?" She directed the question at Calum and the boy looked at Michael for his agreement.

"Calum is a weirdo and wants Hawaiian." Michael said with a shrug. The bright smile that crossed the boy's feature as he realized that Michael remembered what kind of pizza he liked and that he could stay was all the confirmation that Mama Clifford needed to nod and leave the room to order the pizzas.

Michael spun around in the chair and looked up at Calum. "Soo..." He trailed off awkwardly, not knowing what to do now. They both had homework, but Michael really didn't want to do it right then. He went with hos next best idea and that was video games. "Wanna play Mortal Kombat?"

"What and let you crush me at it?"

"Yep! Unless you want to play Lara Croft? Those are the only two multiplayer games I have, unless you want to watch me kick fallen butt on Destiny?"

"Lara Croft sounds fun, but I also want to see you kick butt that isn't mine?"

"Destiny today and Lara tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sounds good."

-

Michael played Destiny and Calum watched for twenty minutes until Mama Clifford brought up the pizza and told Michael good night. She had to do some more work and then she was sleeping. Michael nodded and said good night back.

After that Michael and Calum ate pizza and did some homework. Calum was being the sensible one and suggested it. They worked for a couple hours until it was almost ten and they were done with everything.

"Damn, I'm tired." Michael said with a yawn and Calum nodded in agreement. He was busy finishing up a math problem. "Dude, are you going home tonight or do I need to get pjs for you? I mean I can throw some of Luke's at you? Both of you are taller than me and it's not far." Michael grumbled and it wasn't even like they were drastically taller, but it was enough that it was noticeable.

Calum looked up at Michael in shock, a pencil hanging from his mouth where he had been chewing on it in concentration. He took the pencil out of his mouth before talking. "Are you sure I could stay here?"

"It's a good twenty minutes to your house and if you're tried, it's not safe to drive." Michael shrugged. He may say he hated Calum, but he obviously didn't and he really didn't want the boy to die in a car accident.

A blush appeared on the boy's pretty face and he mumbled something, but it was way to soft for Michael to hear. He must have realized this, as Calum spoke up louder. "If it's not too much trouble."

"Alright, hold on." Michael moved to his closet and dug through it to find the pajamas he would always give Luke when the blond stayed over. "Shit." Michael groaned as he realized they were in the laundry room. Instead Michael just grabbed one of his pajama pants that were a bit too long for him and an t-shirt. "I forgot Luke's is in the laundry and I really don't want to walk there so here."

He threw the clothes at Calum and the boy thanked him before going to the bathroom to change. Michael sighed in relief as the boy left. He didn't know if he could trust himself not to kiss Calum if the boy was half naked in front of him.

Going through his closet again Michael grabbed another pair of pajamas pants and an oversized sweater. He quickly changed in the bathroom as soon as Calum left and bushed hos teeth.

"You can take my bed by the way." Michael said as he noticed Calum was looking confused on what to do.

"What? No, no, that's fine. I can take a couch."

"Just take the damn bed, I'm being nice here and besides, I'm used to sleeping on that sofa when Luke is here. He complained it wasn't comfy when he first slept over. We we're eight and Luke has laid claim to the bed whenever he stays over since then."

"Really, I'm okay."

"Shut the fuck up and take the bed. I'm trying to be nice here."

"Okay. You know, I don't mind if we share the bed?"

Michael finished brushing his teeth and pursed his lips at Calum's offer. There was a really really high possibly that Michael would end up cuddling the boy in the middle of the night...

"Fine." He finally relented. Calum had given him a puppy dog face and he was really good at it. "I'm so going to regret this in the morning." Michael mumbled to himself, but turned off the light and crawled under the covers next to Calum on the bed.

"Night night, Micky." Calum mumbled as Michael curled up and got comfy.

"Night, Cal-Pal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> these chapters keep getting longer like??? i don't mean for them to be this long, but whatever.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this isn't edited i just wanted to put something out there and i'll fix and spelling mistakes tomorrow

Waking up with a fluffy blue haired boy on his chest wasn't the worst way Calum had ever woken up. It might have been the best if it wasn't for Michael's alarm. Green Day was a great band, but waking up to Warning as much as he liked that song, wasn't great. 

What made it worse was Michael rolling over and off Calum's chest to silence the alarm. He wanted the boy back, there was this missing warmth as soon as Michael had moved. Calum frowned and wanted to pull Michael back down for cuddling, but he knew he was on thin ice. Michael didn't want to like him and Calum knew that. 

Stretching his body as a soft yawn escaped past his lips, Calum rubbed at his eyes before turning to Michael. "'Morning." He offered a slight smile which Michael returned. 

The boy had this confused look in his eyes. Like his mind was processing how he'd woken up cuddling Calum. With a slight shake of his head, Michael looked up at Calum.

"Do you want an extra set of clothes for the day or are you going to wear the same thing?" 

Calum pursed his lips and shrugged. Michael playfully shoved Calum almost sending him off the bed. "I'm not a mind reader, Hood." Suddenly there was a shirt thrown at his head and Calum turned to Michael with faux offense. 

"Did you just throw a shirt at me?" 

"Yup!" Michael said with a cheeky smile. "Take that weird dog - monster face shirt or don't. I'm going to go change in the bathroom." 

Calum sighes as Michael left and he quickly pulled off what he was wearing and slipped on the shirt. He wasn't going to deny Michael's offer. 

He was completely changed by the time Michael came out in black skinny jeans and a Harvey Davis sleeveless shirt. Calum may or may not have checked him out.  

"I've never seen you wear this shirt." Calum said, motioning to the one the boy had given him as he watched Michael lace up his combat boots. 

"It's Luke's." He shrugged before flying back on the bed and sighing. "I don't want to get an education. School is so lame."

"We could skip it? Dye my hair purple now" Calum said covering up his serious tone with a more playful one as he grabbed a snapback out of his backpack and placed it on backwards.

Michael looked up at the boy with pursed lips before shrugging. "Sure. Let's dye your hair." He got up and walked to the bathroom to grab the dyes.

"Should I change shirts? You did say it was Luke's." 

"Nah, it's Luke's from three years ago. I haven't heard him ask about it in two."

-

After admiring his finished job on Calum's hair, Michael let the boy turn to look. 

A surprised gasp escaped his lips, fingers running through the now purple highlights. Looking back and forth between Michael and the mirror, Calum finally set his attention on his hair.

"This is amazing. Fuck, I wasn't expecting it to look this good."

Michael smiled proudly, nudging Calum's arm. "Shouldn't doubt me. I know what I'm doing."

"I'll never doubt you again. Holy shit, I can't stop looking it." He mumbled, playing with the strands that were mostly all purple.

"You sound like me when I first dyed my hair." 

Calum finally looked at Michael, cocking his head to the side. "Brown wasn't it? Or black? I'm sure it was one of those."

"It-It was brown. How did you know?" Michael mumbled, taking a surprised step back. 

Calum rubbed his neck, shrugging as he refused to look at Michael.

"Okay then....Now that your hair is done, do you want to go somewhere, show it off?"

-

When Michael asked where Calum wanted to go, he wasn't expecting a park. A literal park, complete with swings, slides, monkey bars, and a merry-go-round. Although he wasn't complaining. The park is pretty cool and with kids in school, they had it to themselves. 

Until Luke and Ashton came over. After a series of texts from the blond boy asking where he was and why wasn't he at school, Michael relented and told him what was going on and then Luke invited himself and Ashton to join in. Which wasn't too bad if he really thought about it. 

Ashton was thoughtful enough to stop and buy food for them all. 

"Holy shit, I love you!" Michael immediately said after Luke announced that Ashton got pizza for everyone. Out of the corner of his eye, Michael noticed Calum's small smile at his excitement, but really Michael didn't feel like caring. 

He almost didn't feel like fighting Calum's attention anymore. Those goddam amazing cuddles may have had something to do with changing his mind, but maybe his knowledge of Calum wasn't that bad. After all in their freshman year Calum was this tiny squishy faced bean that just listened to music and played soccer and Michael had the biggest crush on him and maybe he still did. 

"Your hair is purple." Michael's attention turned from his thoughts to Ashton who finally noticed Calum's hair. 

The boy nodded with a proud smile. "Yup, Michael did it." He gently nudged Michael with a fond look.

Michael nodded and casually listened to the rest of the conversation while eating pizza, his attention fading in and out on what they were talking about.

Feeling a poke to his cheek, Michael looked to see Calum smiling brightly at him. "Ashton and I came up with an idea. We're going to have a contest, to see which of us can spin the merry-go-round the fastest with the other three on. Luke's already agreed." 

Michael frowned but nodded anyway. "I'm going to lose. These are not the arms of someone who is going to win." He said waving his arms around before looking at Calum's arms and squinting his eyes up at the boy. "This is fucking rigged."

Calum innocently smiled.

"Okay, I'll go first." Ashton declared and Luke giggled softly as he climbed on. Michael and Calum quickly followed and soon Ashton was placing a tight grip on a open bar, beginning to push the merry-go-round. 

The speed quickly picked up and Michael found himself laughing along with Luke as they shared this look that made them feel like they were five again. Ashton let the merry-go-round spin on it's own, hopping on next to Luke and gently booping his nose. 

Michael turned to Calum, not wanting to see Luke and Ashton be all cute, only to find that the boy was unashamedly staring fondly at him. A pink blush rose to his cheeks and he quickly ducked his head. 

"Michael! You should go next." Luke said happily and Michael glared at him before shaking his head. 

"I'm going to lose anyway. Somehow you have more muscle than I do so I can't even win against you, let alone Calum or Ash." He pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. 

He pouted even more as Luke started laughing. Suddenly he was being lifted up out of the merry-go-round by Calum. The boy had so effortlessly picked him up that Michael didn't have enough time to think as he was being set on the ground a second later.

"C'mon, I'll help you." He said with a smile. 

"Hey, we never allowed that!" Ashton quickly protested but Calum shrugged with a mischievous smile. 

"We never said that we wouldn't allow it. It didn't come up." He smiled and gave Michael a look and the two of them started pushing the merry-go-round. Michael could keep up with Calum's starting speed or strong pushes after that, but he tried to help and maybe he helped a little.

The best part was getting a full view of Calum's arms as they worked. He subconsciously licked his lips before realizing where his thoughts were headed and quickly focused on trying to help push the merry-go-round.

Once it was Luke's turn, Ashton got up too while Calum and Michael sat back down. Ashton had this competitive look in his eyes and Luke was staring fondly at Ashton. 

Michael curled into Calum's side with a soft sigh, ignoring the look he got from Luke. 

"Okay, that's it. You two win. We're definitely didn't win against you." Luke said, plopping down on the merry-go-round as it started slowing to a stop.

Michael shrugged. "Hey, you really lost to Calum. I said this was fucking rigged at the start. Look at Cals biceps."

"Aw, thanks, Micky. I knew you liked me somehow." Calum ruffled Michael's hair with a bright smile, both at the compliment and nickname.

"Hey, I have biceps!" Luke shouted and Michael rolled his eyes. 

"Sure you do, that's why I call you a baby duck. You're so rugged and manly." 

"I hate you."

"Love you." 

Luke pouted and turned to Ashton. "Defend my honor." 

"You sound like Michael right now." Calum commented, getting offended gasps from both Michael and Luke. 

"He doesn't sound like me. Luke is a goddam bean. A precious bean that should be protected." Luke blushed at Michael's words. 

"Wait, are you saying you're not a precious bean?"

"Compared to Luke I'm not. I'm the only one who gets to offend Luke. Which, Luke, you did sound like me then." Michael said, playfully smiling at Luke. The blond boy glared at Michael with no real heat behind it before walking over to the swings, Ashton following close behind.

Calum suddenly wrapped his arms around Michael and pulled the boy to him. "I think you're a precious bean," he mumbled. 

"I thought you said I was a kitten once." 

"You are. But that doesn't mean you can't be a bean." 

"Kitten sounds better. I'll turn into a cat and then I can be grumpy." 

Calum chuckled fondly and gently booped Michael's nose. "You're already a grumpy kitten."

"You know, I really starting to question our relationship. I will not be dating anyone who says I'm a grumpy kitten. I have standards. It's cute kitten or Michael is out." 

"Fine, you're a cute kitten. Does that mean we're dating?" 

"Ask me in week."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHADDUP I FINALLY UPDATED!!

"So..." Calum trailed off for a second as he slid into his desk at maths. "About a certain date you owe me?"

Michael let out a dramatic sigh, really sometimes he thought he should've gone for the drama club. Become a famous actor, where he didn't have to deal with crushes on pretty kiwi boys that look way too hot in a maine shirt and black skinny jeans.

The purple dye in his hair already fading to a lighter color that honestly looked better than before....Michael really hated how much he was crushing on Calum.

"Hellooo! Earth to Mickey?" Calum said, a slight chuckle escaping past his lips as he waved his hand in front of Michael's face. "If you wanna kiss me that bad I know where a closet is."

Michael snapped out of his thoughts at the thought of kissing Calum. He didn't realize he'd been staring at the boy's lips...or maybe he did and he was thinking about kissing them, but there was no way Michael would admit that to anyone.

"I don't want to kiss you." He grumbled, trying to get his act of hating the boy back up but the longer Calum just sent the hurt puppy dog look his way, Michael's act was crumbling. Maybe that's why he never went into drama.

Michael rolled his eyes but looked back at Calum. Keeping his focus anywhere but his lips. "When do you want to go on this date?"

Immediately Calum's puppy dog look had disappeared and he was scooting his desk close to Michael. Resting his pretty face on his hands as he looked up at Michael. "Wait, first I need to know...Do you like dates inside?"

"Inside?"

"Yeah, like if it was out my house and tried to cook for you, but I can't even boil water in a pot to save my life so we'd end up ordering anyway. So then we have whatever takeout you want, and we build a pillow fort in front of the tv and watch shitty movies until three am?" Calum explained. Michael wasn't even gonna try and lie, that sounded fun.

"Make that the date and you have a deal." Michael said with a smile, which only grew when Calum looked so excited and happy.

He quickly turned his head away so Calum couldn't see him smiling so much. The rest of his math class went pretty much the same. Michael may have stared at Calum more than normal and every time Calum even glanced his way, Michael was doodling something in his notebook.

-

"Lucas, I'm fucking up." Michael complained as Luke sighed and set down his sandwich. They had only been sitting in silence for three minutes, but Michael couldn't stop thinking.

"What's wrong Mikey?"

"I like Calum and I'm confused." He said and pulled out his phone to show Luke the date. "Look at this Lucas, look at today's date."

Luke raised an eyebrow as he looked between Michael and his phone. "What this have to do with Calum?"

"It's been a week. A whole freakin' week and I'm starting to fall for Calum a little. This is not acceptable, he's gonna break my heart and I'm gonna be sad and you're gonna be off being cute with Ashton and I'll be alone." Michael rambled trying to get his point across to Luke, but the blond never truly seemed to get it.

He always thought the best in people and Michael always assumed the worst. Maybe that's why they were best friends, but it really sucked when Michael was over thinking something and Luke just looked at him like he was an idiot for making such a big deal.

"He's not gonna break your heart. We don't even know if he did break everyone's heart, like I said before they're rumours."

"I need answers. Who's the friendliest person Calum's been with here?" Michael asked, more to himself than Luke as he looked around the cafeteria. Luke just let him be and continued eating his sandwich.

Scanning the faces of the current people in the cafeteria and deciding who wouldn't immediately tell him to fuck off was a little hard. There was Troye, but he had a boyfriend now who was defensive as hell and Michael wasn't sure if he wanted to mess with that.

Then there was Brenda, who seemed nice enough, but she was also at Calum's table and Michael couldn't exactly just go over there. It'd be weird and then Calum would ask about it and it'd get awkward and Michael didn't wanna deal with that.

He was just about to give up when he noticed Selena. She was nice and seemed to be on her own right then. Michael immediately left his table with Luke without so much as a bye to the blond boy. He was on a mission to find out about the rumours.

"Excuse me." Michael said as soon as he got to her table. Waiting for her to acknowledge him from the book she was reading.

As soon as she turned a page and was at the next chapter, her attention was on him. "Hey, can I help you with something?"

"Yeah, yeah. I had a question." He said before pausing. He wasn't sure how he should ask about Calum without making it awkward for either of them or at least Selena. "You dated Calum yeah?"

Selena shrugged and put a bookmark in her book before setting it on the table and motioned for Michael to sit down.

"Yeah, we went a couple dates. Why? Trying to impress him?" She asked.

"Not really, it's more like he's trying to get me to like him." Michael mumbled, feeling weird talking about this to anyone besides Luke, and even with Luke he barely talked about it.

However a shocked looked appeared on her face and she studied Michael closer. "He's trying to get with you? Not the other way around?"

"Is it normally the other way around?"

"Yeah. He had a different person trying to get with him every day. It'd stopped for a while while we were together, but I broke it off cause he didn't seem that interested in me."

"Did he just seem to get bored with you or?" Michael asked, playing with the bottom of his shirt as he waited for an answer.

"No...Now that I think about it, his mind was always somewhere else. Like he wanted someone else." Selena commented with a shrug. "When we broke up I confronted him on it and he admitted that he only dated me to not feel so lonely and heartbroken."

"Heartbroken?" Michael's eyes widen as he thought of a heartbroken Calum. He couldn't even handle a sad puppy eyes Calum. What's heartbroken Calum? "Why would he be heartbroken?"

"I dunno. We stopped talking after that. All I know is that he loves cuddling and feeling like he's wanted. He would take me to a book store and get me any book I wanted in exchange for a kiss, a date, anything. I mean honestly he didn't even have to do that, I liked him enough, but I dunno. He just seems lonely."

"Okay, thanks for telling me." Michael mumbled, getting lost in thought as he ran through all he just learned.

Selena offered a smile, "No problem." She went back to her book and Michael left, just glancing at Calum who was already staring at him. Michael offered a small smile which grew bigger when Calum returned it before being distracted by his table.

Michael really needed to talk to Calum about everything. He wasn't gonna go anywhere with the boy until he really knew why Calum decided to set his attention on him.


	10. Chapter 10

**From: Australian Shepherd**  
_look alive sunshine!!_  
_wanna hang out and make a blanket fort today??_

 **To: Australian Shepherd**  
_sure, lemme let my mom know_

 **From: Australian Shepherd**  
_okaaay_  
_i can pick you up in half an hour?_

 **To: Australian Shepherd**  
_ok! :)_

Michael might admit that he was excited to hang out with Calum. If it was only with himself. If anyone had pointed out the smile that crossed his features when he woke up on Saturday to those texts, Michael would deny it. But to himself, maybe he could admit it.

The only thing was that he had just woke up. It was half passed noon and if Calum was coming in half and hour, Michael should probably get ready. Normally he would just go back to sleep, but Calum was worth not going back to sleep.

For a second, Michael wondered how he was supposed to dress for this blanket fort. But quickly made up his mind for casual. He grabbed a Green Day muscle shirt, black skinny jeans, and a snapback for his bed hair that he couldn't find the energy to fix.

After getting dressed and lacing up his converse, Michael went to the kitchen. His mom was on her laptop. It looked like she was in the middle of doing work. So instead of talking to her right then he grabbed a can of coke cola from the refrigerator.

He hopped up onto the counter, his legs dangling above the ground as he opened the can.

"Good morning," His mother said, used to Michael late morning starts on the weekends.

"Hey," Michael took a sip of his soda. "I'm gonna hang out with Calum today. Maybe the night too, I dunno."

His mother nodded, she seemed focused on her work and that really didn't bother Michael. He was so used to both his parents working all the time that he barely phased him anyone. There were those occasional family dinners that lasted an hour and it wasn't a bad time.

Michael was only half way done with his cola when the doorbell rung. He quickly jumped off the counter and raced over to the door. His excitement to hang out with Calum showing a little.

"Hello Mickey! It's time to go on an adventure back in time and act like six year olds." Calum greeted with a bright smile. A giggle escaped Michael's pink lips from the boy's words.

"Okay, let's go."

Calum's smile brighten and held his hand out for Michael to take. Michael wasn't going to admit how right it felt when he interlocked his pale fingers with Calum's tawny ones, but it did. It really did. Michael could slowly feel himself falling more and more for the pretty boy.

"Your door, misour." Calum said, opening the door to his car.

"Merci." It was undeniable the way Calum's face lit up at Michael's response. Crinkles form at the corner's of his eyes, Michael really wanted to poke the boy's squishy cheeks.

With a feather light poke on Calum's cheek, the boy giggled and pretended to bat away Michael's hands. "Mickey, you're supposed to get in the car not poke me."

"Why can't I do both?" He asked, poking Calum's other cheek before sliding into the car. Calum closed the door behind him, a blush on his cheeks, and quickly raced to the driver's side.

"So first we need to stop at a shop and stock up on snacks. I was thinking we could also stop for some takeout because like I said, I can't cook." Calum explained as he backed out of Michael's driveway. "Or I can try to cook if you don't mind burnt cheese toasties? "

Michael softly chuckled, "Or we could leave the cooking to me and have normal cheese toasties."

Calum stopped at a red light and stared at Michael for a moment. "You cook?" He asked, but didn't give Michael enough time to answer before shaking his head and looking back to notice the green light. "Of course you cook." He mumbled softly.

"I'm not that good at cooking if it makes you feel better? I mean cheese toasties and stir fry is all I can cook." Michael offered, but Calum shook his head.

"That doesn't make me feel better. I don't even feel bad."

"Then-"

"It's just you're already cute and now you have to add cooking in there. I bet your one of those people that sing while they cook." Calum mumbled the last sentence more to himself, but Michael still heard.

A blush rose to his cheeks and he quickly looked out the window, watching houses go by instead. It only seemed like minute had gone by and now Calum was pulling into a store parking lot.

"We still need snacks for tonight." Calum said as he unbuckled his seat belt. "C'mon."

Michael followed behind Calum as they walked through the store and straight to the sweets and chips aisle. Calum grabbed a hand full of skittles and tim tams. He motioned for Michael to get whatever he wanted while trying to keep hold of the sweets.

Michael laughed softly and shook his head at Calum. He took a couple bags of skittles from Calum along with some malteasers from the asle.

Calum smiled gratefully and the two walked to the self checkout. "Hold on, I wanna scan!" Michael said with a slight pout at Calum.

The boy shrugged and stepped back so Michael could start scanning. "Alright! You can scan, but I'll pay."

"I can pay you back for the malteasers." Michael commented as he took the tim tams from Calum and scanned them. "I'm not broke."

"Yeah, but I wanna pay for you. It's not that expensive." Calum moved closer to Michael to pay.

Michael pouted, but let Calum continue.

"Now let's go home and have a marathon." Calum smiled brightly at Michael and he couldn't help but smile back.

-

As soon as they got to Calum's house, Michael's jaw dropped. It wasn't as big as Michael kind of expected, but it looked really nice. The inside looked just as nice as the outside, while still remaining homely.

Michael followed Calum into the kitchen, but almost bumped into him in the doorway when Calum stopped short and tried to turn around.

"Cal! How's my favorite little brother?" A female voice and the owner coming into view. "Who's this with you?"

"I'm Michael." The girl nodded and smiled brightly at Michael. He could see the resemblance between them, but he couldn't believe Calum had a sister. "It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Mali-Koa." She waved and Michael waves back. "It's nice to meet you too."

"Well! Now that everyone knows everyone, Micky and I are going to my room." Calum spoke quickly and pulled Michael away. Both Michael and Mali were too stunned to react until half way up the stairs to Calum's room.

"Your sister seems nice." Michael said softly.

Calum nodded, "She is. She just tells embarrassing stories about me to everyone."

Michael giggled and playfully tugged Calum back, acting like he was going to go back to the kitchen. "I wanna hear these stories."

"Mickey..." Calum whined. Michael's giggles turned into laughing and he let himself be dragged by Calum to his room.

Calum's room was also nicer than Michael expected, but it was a mess. There was clothes everywhere and some dishes. Not that Michael could judge. His room isn't any better.

There was a tv in the room and Calum turned it on. "Do you wanna look for something on netflix or I have a movie collection over there." Calum pointed to the small bookcase filled with movies.

Michael wandered over and looked through them, but finding the one that seemed best for the whole blanket fort, acting like they where little kids, thing they had going on tonight.

He handed the movie over to Calum with a smile. "The Rescuers Down Under?"

"Yep! It goes with our blanket fort theme and we're down under." Calum giggled, but put the movie in with a smile. "First we need to make our blanket fort."

-

It took them an hour to make a blanket fort which included stealing all the spare blankets and pillows. But now Michael and Calum had fairy lights strung up and a floor of pillows and blankets.

Calum had gotten out the sweets and dumped all the skittles into a bowl, placing it in between them.

"Okay, is there anything else we need before this movie?" Calum looked around while Michael shrugged. He was ready for this movie.

"No, we should watch the movie now." Calum giggled, but nodded in agreement with Michael. He wrapped a blanket around his shoulders and started the movie.

The two of them watched the entire movie, eating skittles along the way. Michael had somehow ended up curled into Calum's side, but he was comfy and wasn't going to move away. Or acknowledge the fluttering in his chest when Calum wrapped an arm around him.

After that movie they switched to Netflix and watched through some other disney movies. Michael softly sung along to Under the Sea in The Little Mermaid, but no one besides Calum had to know that. While he had sung, Calum just had the biggest smile and maybe that made Michael more confident to sing along to the rest of the movie.

Michael and Calum had also gone back down to the kitchen for some snacks that weren't skittles. Michael made some cheese toasties and Calum watched.

"I still can't believe you can cook." Calum commented as Michael flipped the sandwiches.

He looked at Calum with a lopsided grin. "Believe it, Hood. I'd be the best boyfriend you ever had and make you marry me for my cheese toasties."

"I'd be okay with that."

"What? You would marry me for my cheese toasties?" Michael had a playful smile. "You need to earn my marriage and cheese toasties."

Calum shook his head and a confused look crossed over Michel's face. "I'd be okay with you being my boyfriend. But marrying you for cheese toasties would be pretty great too."

"Oh wow um..." Michael trailed off and turned back to the stove. Focusing on getting rid of the blush that had risen to his cheeks. Calum moved next to him and gently bumped their hips together.

"Sorry if that made you uncomfortable. I understand if you just want to be friends."

"No, it's not that..." Michael trailed off again. He didn't have the words to explain how he felt about being Calum's boyfriend. He still had this image of Calum being a totally player, but he seemed the opposite. There was still Michael's fear of getting his heart broken too.  
"I think we need to talk about things." He mumbled softly, looking up at Calum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hai, i realize i haven't updated this in a while and i'm sorry. honestly i have no excuse, i'm lazy and i started writing a demon calum/wizard michael fic that will probably never be posted, but it's still fun to write. soooo. hopefully the next update won't take as long. i'll try cause i wanna finally reveal calum's backstory!!


	11. Chapter 11

Calum's face paled at the boy's words. Michael could almost see the boy's mind working and thinking of the worst. His body had tensed up and he ducked his head away from Michael, but the blue haired boy wasn't accepting any of that. 

He gently nudged Calum with his elbow and offered a comforting smile. "Hey, it'll be alright. You're stuck with me now, Hood." 

Calum cracked a smile, his body relaxing slightly at Michael's words. "What do you want to talk about?" The nerves in his voice could still easily be picked up. 

"I dunno how to start. There's a lot of things I want to know." Michael finished cooking the rest of the cheese toasties. Calum stalled the conversation for second by getting plates for him. "Fuck, I don't know how to say this without it coming out wrong." 

Calum bit his bottom lip as he handed a plate to Michael. "Just say it." He mumbled. 

Michael sighed and looked up at Calum. "Why does it seem like you've dated nearly everyone in the school? And why was only ever for a couple weeks at most? Also I talk to someone and they said that when you were together you seemed heartbroken, so what's that about?" Why do you want to date me is what Michael almost added at the end, but cut himself off with a deep breath. 

Calum stumbled back, his eyes widening but then they closed and his shoulders slouched. Michael felt so bad and just wanted to hug him, but he also wanted answers before they went any further than friendship. 

"Long story short, my first girlfriend just used me for money and I don't know. Now I just think that's the only reason anyone would want to stick around me. And I just want someone to actually just like me so I kept dating." Calum mumbled casting his gaze at the ground. The small spot in the tile got really interesting to watch. 

Michael's jaw had dropped and he set the cheese toasties on the plates before setting them on the counter. As soon as they were out of his hands, he pulled Calum into a tight hug. Buring his face in the space between his neck and shoulder. 

Calum returned the hug and let out a small pained whimper. "I'm sorry." He muttered softly. Michael pulled back enough to look at Calum, but still kept a hold on the boy. 

"You don't need to apologize for anything. That's so fucking awful. Do you want me to fight her? Let me know who she is and I will fuckin' fight her." 

A giggle left Calum's mouth and he shook his head with a small smile. "Don't fight anyone. I'm kinda over it." 

"Kinda, means not completely. I will fight anyone you want me to. I may not have any experience, but I have stubbornness and video game knowledge of fighting." Michael joked, getting another laugh from Calum.

"I don't think knowing the combos to destory anyone who tries to fight you online is going to help with actually fighting someone." Calum commented.

Michael shook his head with a laugh. "That is where you are wrong. People always says where there is a will there is a way." 

Calum tilted his head, looking so much like a confused puppy. Michael would never understand how that boy could act so much like a puppy. "Who says that?" 

"People." Michael weakly defended. "I don't know. I heard it somewhere once." 

"If you say so." Calum smiled. 

Michael poked Calum's side getting the boy to yell in surprise. "Do you wanna fight me?" He challenged, a playful grin on his face.

"With my mouth, sure." Calum winked. "Through a video game, we already know who will win." 

Michael laughed and poked Calum's cheek. "Slow down there, Casanova. Let's go on a proper date first."

"Wait, so we really are gonna go on a date?" Calum asked, his eyes on the edge of sparkling in excitement. A giggle escaped past Michael's mouth as he nodded. 

"Yeah, let's go on a proper date tomorrow night." The truth was all Michael needed from Calum and now that he had it. He was willing to put his heart on the line for maybe something a little more with the maori boy. But baby steps, he wasn't going to proclaim them boyfriends or anything. Just friends who were trying things out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honestly idek with this chapter but it's something and something is all i got right now

**Author's Note:**

> hiiiii!!! i promise i'm still working on other things, but i just really wanna write this soooo yeah.
> 
> come yell at me or have a chat at malumqt


End file.
